Through a grant from a national community-based research program, WCU students and faculty will work to assist the town of Canton, NC in its recovery efforts from the devastating floods of 2004.

During the first year of the three-year project, students in entrepreneurship courses at Western will collect information and “best practices” strategies on community revitalization. During the second year, students will use the information to develop a downtown revitalization plan.

Other entrepreneurship students will provide consulting services to individual businesses and will work with Haywood Community College students to develop a plan for a proposed Museum of the Art and Science of Papermaking as a downtown tourist attraction.

During the final year of the project, students will evaluate the program to determine how the plans may have impacted the social, economic and educational infrastructure of Canton.